Third Floor RenovationLast modified 2012-11-14

Since I moved in, there has been an unfinished attic space on my 3rd floor.
Above it, occupying the entire "4'th" floor, is a loft. It has no floor,
only joists stuffed wth pink fiberglass insulation, and its ceiling varies in
height from 4' to 4'6". These two areas represented potentially
useful space, and I've always thought about developing them. Specifically,
converting the attic into a bathroom, which the 3rd floor lacks, and putting a
floor on the loft. With an elevator or spiral staircase, I thought, the
loft could offer plentiful storage.

View of Attic from Landing

Attic

View of Attic from Landing

Attic

Loft

Looking up at Loft from Attic

Loft

Guest Bedroom's back wall abuts Attic.

In February of 2011 I enlisted a designer (Brenda Be) for advice. She
thought in small terms. I interviewed two more designers, Catherine
Interiors and V Design. They both said the same thing: take space from the
landing (and existing guest bedroom) to make the future bathroom larger.
Also, both agreed the three inefficient, even non-functional, closets in the
landing and existing guest bedroom should be folded into the future space.
Both designers were talented, but in the end V Design's contractors were a
better fit. So far I have been happy with the choice.

V Design (the "V" is for "Vivian Robins") convinced me that the future
bathroom should occupy the current bedroom, and the future guest bedroom should
occupy the current attic.

Install arc fault interruption covering all circuits. (AFI is
like GFI, but prevents fires started by short circuits not to ground,
such as in a faulty light switch. It can give annoying "false
positives" with vacuum cleaners, but seems worthwhile.)

Miscellaneous plumbing

Branch the new gas line (that powers furnace) to the kitchen, for a
gas range some day.

Increase water supply lines from 1/2" to 3/4".

Here are before and after sketches (click to enlarge):

Old Layout

Future Layout

(I looked around for a free sketching program and discovered
SketchUp. It is three-dimensional
and takes effort to learn, however it is quite powerful. The splotches on
certain objects (sauna and bed in right picture) reflect my inexperience.)

The project took a long time to take form: from initial contact with
Vivian in mid-June, 2011, to hiring her exactly one year later, and hiring Craig
Tarbox (Atlantic WB Construction) on 8/9/12, and demolition commencing
10/2/12.

There was a setback when the building department required the bathroom joists
be reinforced to bear the added weight. (Tub, tiled shower & sauna are all
heavy.) Unfortunately, to reinforce them (using
Laminated Veneer
Lumber) makes it impossible for the
plumbing; you can't drill large holes through the added LVL joists. The
contractor, Craig Tarbox, looked into using open-web steel joists, but that did
not pan out. To make a long story short, the various drains will run
parallel to the joists to the wet wall between bathroom and bedroom. From
there they descend to the top of the ceiling below, which will have to be
dropped 8" for concealment, and into the new chase. Yes, a new chase
must be built running from the 3rd floor to the basement, where the electricity,
gas and water emanate, as well as the drainage.